I was engaged in a conversation this week with a good friend of mine about #Blacklove. The conversation was insightful and interesting in many ways. During the conversation, I mentioned the term #Blacklove quite a few times and began to ask myself what that actually meant. The concept of Black anything has always been an interesting. I’m not an expert on any culture philosophy, but Blackness is one the few areas of most colored lives that gets questioned daily. Not being Black enough can question someone’s character within the community, and at times, it usually means you are attempting to be “white.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s just what black people in the community think. Point is, the term Blackness is complicated and always will be. So, the concept of #Blacklove can’t be simple, right?
If you are within a black community, saying "Black love" usually doesn’t require a definition or anything to second guess about. People will know it when they see it. There’s never really been a need to place any boundaries or limits on the term. Conversely, I don’t think most of us really think about how deep the idea is in and of itself. If two Black people are dating or married and in love, does that, by default mean black love? Is that really black love?
The definition of love, from my understanding, is the ability to create a fundamental a bond that is like no other with someone special to your heart. Seeing a person for who they are and not who we desire them to be. Love requires you to be a friend first. It is the ability to accept your partner during the good and the bad times, even when the days are long and sometimes you just don't want to be bothered. It is learning how to communicate with the person you want to spend your life with on every level, good or bad. Learning how to have a dialogue with your partner to either agree or agree to disagree on the conversation. It is sacrificing together for a common cause and walking headstrong into the will of God. It is remembering the special times when the other person doesn’t and cherishing those moments together.
In honesty, I think the entire concept of Black love is finding true love with another Black person and establishing those fundamentals that I’ve mentioned earlier. As a young man who is in search for the “Black love,” my love for my black women is real, authentic and will never die in itself. Black love is the ideal of unity and togetherness. It’s this ideal of strength shared between two people attempting to reach a common goal, which would explain why we care so much about the idea of #Blackexcellence. Within our community, we face unique challenges with the principals of what it means to be in a “real” relationship. That explains why seeing Barack and Michelle is an example because they look like they represent all of those things as a unit, as married couple, as a family, as one.
What’s interesting enough is that other ethnicities do not necessarily dwell on the ideal of love because they don’t have to. Clearly those goals exist already and have been a foundation for a long-lasting relationship within their community; however, those goals are emphasized in the Black community likely because of our shared history. We may not be on the same page at times, but the history of ours can’t stop and won’t stop us from building the #Blackexcellence.
#Blacklove, #Blackexcellence, Black anything has certain complex simplicity to it.
But, I ask you, the folks who write spoken words and philosophical, what exactly is Black love? Is there a definition or perfect example, or do you just know it when you see it? And if you’re white or of other color, what does love, #Blacklove, #Blackexcellence, Black anything to you? Let’s talk about it.
